goading

American  

[goh-ding] / ˈgoʊ dɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of pricking, prodding, driving, or inciting with or as if with a goad.

   After a little goading from the crowd, he grabbed another habanero pepper and ate the whole darn thing.

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adjective

1. pricking or prodding with or as if with a goad; driving or inciting.

   It's precisely this unstable combination of insecurity and superiority that generates a goading need to prove oneself.

Etymology

Origin of goading

First recorded in 1540–50; goad ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun; goad ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective

Example Sentences

Rather than respond directly to the company, Muddy Waters took to X, where it posted a meme goading SoFi to “run that game.”

From Barron's • Mar. 18, 2026

Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has been goading Albany to soak the rich, responded to the proposals: “I’m grateful.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Note, for instance, how this kerfuffle is goading his critics into defending the indefensible.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 15, 2026

Later, Amir Coffey got the assignment to cover Doncic and the Lakers star made another three, goading the Clippers to get someone who could actually defend him.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2025

The last time it had felt as though he were on the verge of goading a tiger to attack.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Related Words

• challenging
• disturbing
• exciting
• inspirational
• insulting
• offensive
• outrageous